Chapter XI, Implications Summary and Analysis

Ethnic identity history can teach many lessons. Ethnic groups teach individualistic cultures like those of the United States that social groups and social consciousness have a major impact on the individual; ethnic differences also caused serious social problems.

Looking for cause and effect, however, is difficult. It is hard to say what the causal relationship is between bigotry and poverty and personal merit alone does not determine one's fortune. Many of the most successful ethnic minorities avoided politics. Nonetheless, patterns appear in history.

These patterns include, for one, that all classes have grown richer over time, are better represented and live longer. Every ethnic group is better off on almost any measure. Yet comparing these groups is difficult due to their very different histories. Comparing black progress to Puerto Rican progress can be very misleading.